Petunia plant named ‘Surf Gonitomi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Surf Gonitomi’, characterized by its semi-spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; medium-sized flowers that are bright red purple and white in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia x hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SURF GONITOMI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia x hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Surf Gonitomi’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new semi-spreading, mounding and freely-flowering Petunia plants with medium-sized attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2013 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code designation PV555-5, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code designation 13CV-7, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since January, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Surf Gonitomi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Surf Gonitomi’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Semi-spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Medium-sized flowers that are bright red purple and white in         color.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have light salmon pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in growth habit as plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than and not as compact as plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia x hybrida ‘USTUN69002’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,727. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and ‘USTUN69002’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are not as compact as plants of         ‘USTUN69002’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia flower earlier than plants of         ‘USTUN69002’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of         ‘USTUN69002’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘USTUN69002’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘USTUN69002’ have lavender pink-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Surf Gonitomi’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Surf Gonitomi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia x hybrida ‘Surf Gonitomi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia x             hybrida identified as code designation PV555-5, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia x             hybrida identified as code designation 13CV-7, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Semi-spreading and mounding             plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral             branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 90 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 40 cm to 45 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 6.3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Mostly outwardly.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—About 19 leaves per lateral             branch; alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire; undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent, rough; viscid.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A; venation,             close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146B; venation, close to 145B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.3 mm. Diameter: About 3.4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 145A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Medium-sized single-type             salverform flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely             flowering habit with usually about eight to ten flowers             developing per lateral branch and about 400 flowers             developing per plant during the flowering season; flowers             face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to             four weeks after planting; long flowering period, flowering             commences naturally during the spring and plants flower             continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About 8.3 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 145C; towards the apex,             close to 182D; developing petals, close to 70B to 70C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.8 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2.75 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter, distally.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl,             fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal             length from throat: About 2.6 cm. Petal width: About 3 cm.             Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate to             rounded. Petal margin: Entire; slightly lobed; slightly             undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube             texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper             surface: Distally, close to 46C fading proximally to close             to 54D and NN155A. Petal, when opening, lower surface:             Distally, close to 54C fading proximally to close to 54D.             Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Distally, close to 58C             fading proximally to close to 65D and N155B; main veins,             close to 152D and lateral veins, close to 52A; colors do not             change with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface:             Distally, close to 54B fading proximally to close to 55B and             N155D; venation, similar to lamina colors; colors do not             change with development. Throat: Distally, close to 155B;             proximally, close to 145D; main veins, close to N144A and             lateral veins, close to 182A. Tube: Distally, close to             N155D; center, close to NN155A; proximally, close to 157D;             venation, similar to lamina colors.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals arranged in a single whorl and fused at the base.             Sepal length: About 1 cm. Sepal width: About 2.7 mm. Sepal             shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; viscid.             Color, upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower surface:             Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Upright to outwardly.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Distally, close to 144B;             proximally, close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 1.9 cm. Filament color: Close to             NN155B. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2.2 mm             by 1.2 mm. Anther color: Close to 8D. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 2D. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.4 cm. Style color: Close             to 145D. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma             color: Close to 144C. Ovary color: Close to 144A. Seeds and             fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on             plants of the new Petunia to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Surf Gonitomi’ as illustrated and described. 